this is "world news." tonight, back from the brink. the stock market soars as washington's tax deal becomes real. and a tough guy sounds off for everyone sick of gid logrid loc in congress. >> 66 days and counting. shame of you. shame on congress. hillary's lement. we see her there walking, riding in a car. what this says about the blood clot near her brain. flareup. espn's hannah storm burned been an exploding outdoor grill. see the danger to you, of cooler weather and a propane fire ball. and more exercise in 2013? see what a 101-year-old woman can do at the gym, and learn the secret of sticking to your

resolution. good evening and a happy new year to you, as we begin with the giant new year's surge in the stock market today. it was a kind of celebration, after congress finally took action to pass a deal on taxes, averting the fiscal cliff. the dow jumped 232 points at the opening bell and then kept soaring, gaining more than 308 points by closing time. and abc's bianna golodryga is here to tell us about american retirement accounts and if this bounce is expected to last. >> reporter: good evening, diane. as one trader just told me moments ago, there was a huge sigh of relief on wall street today. investors liking what they heard from washington overnight a lot. the dow jones up 300 points the largest gain the market has seen in over a year. if you combine today's 300-plus

jump with the additional 166 points from new year's eve, the blue chips had their biggest point gains ever for the last day and first day of any year. >> we saw a relief rally, with the deal being done. >> reporter: all 30 dow jones stocks were up and more than 90% of the s&p 500. the markets were optimistic that the economy wouldn't fall into recession after congress agreed to a deal that prevented most tax increases and postponed painful government spending cuts for another two months. fwig name stocks and technology companies, the engines that help fuel economic growth, did particularly well today. >> removing uncertainty like the fiscal cliff, things like the debt ceiling, that's going to help bring things into a clearer focus and should ultimately help both the economic performance and the performance of everyone's 401(k). >> reporter: that's a relief to the 60 million americans who are invested in 401(k)s.

2012 had already been a good year. if you were invested entirely in the s&p 500, the average 401(k) would have gained $10,000 in the last year alone. today's rally alone added $1,900 to the average 401(k). one thing to keep in mind, traders told me that had we gone over the fiscal cliff instead of talking about a 300-point rally, it would have been a selloff, if not worse. volatility not over for the week. big jobs report coming on friday. expect 160,000 jobs added in december. >> okay, bianna, thank you so much. and so congress acted, and one crisis was averted. but how does it happen that it's affecting your wallet and also what is next? abc's white house correspondent jon karl has done some math. >> reporter: it finally passed. >> the motion is adopted. >> reporter: but not before a political blood bath. at one point, the speaker of the house telling the top senate democrat to essentially buzz off. but using language we can't use on television. but it was speaker boehner who had to save the deal late last

night, fending off a revolt of his own party and putting his job on the line. supporting something opposed by the vast majority of his fellow republicans. now that it's passed, what does it mean to you? for the first time in more than 20 years, you'll see tax increases on the wealthy. for taylor swift, who made an estimated $57 million last year, that's nearly $2.6 million in new taxes. warren buffett, who famously paid a lower tax rate than his secretary, will also take a hit on an estimated earnings of $63 million, he'll pay an extra $2 million, thanks to an increase in the capital gains tax. for those with income under $400,000, no next tax hike. the social security payroll tax cut passed two years ago is now gone. for workers earning $50,000, that will mean $1,000 less in their paychecks over the next year. and the bill extends

unemployment benefits for some 2 million people looking for work. but even as that was resolved, a political fire storm erupted over what congress has failed to do. adjourning without passing an aid bill for victims of hurricane sandy. >> the rug is pulled out from under us. absolutelyindefensible. >> absolutely absurd. >> shame on you, mr. speaker. >> reporter: the failure to even vote on the $60 billion bill prompted an outburst from chris christie. >> 66 days and counting. shame on you. shame on congress. >> reporter: his wrath aimed squarely at republican leaders in congress. >> they forget, we sent them there. we sent them there to do the work for us. not to sit down there and play with each other. >> reporter: all that sound and fury apparently paid off. late today, speaker of the house john boehner said that aid to victims of hurricane sandy would be the first priority of the new

congress that gets sworn in tomorrow. the first vote for sandy victims coming on friday. >> all right, jon, thank you. but let me ask you this. we've had relief now about one crisis averted, but when is the next one? >> reporter: we have potentially three fiscal cliffs coming up. the first one comes next month, when the government is at risk of defaulting on its debt unless congress raises the amount of money the government can borrow. the next, those automatic spending cuts happen on march 1st, unless congress acts. that means potentially hundreds of thousands of government employees put at risk. finally, funding for the government itself runs out on march 27th, unless the white house can get some cooperation with republicans in congress. >> that's a mega-cliff coming. thank you so much, jon. and we have a note now under the file, really, did you know this, is it possible? the president has until noon tomorrow to sign that bill into law, but the president is now back in hawaii, so, the question becomes, how does he get it signed? there are two options for this. one, they can fly it overnight to him in hawaii and the other

is something called an auto pen. and it's a mechanism that signs the president's signature and did you know that the president's signature can be done this way on a law? they're still not saying yet which option the president will choose. and we have a reminder that tomorrow night, we're going to bring you an interview that will mark an historic milestone. i sat down with 19 of the 20 female senators starting work tomorrow. that is a record number of women in the senate. and it's the 113th congress, beginning its new session tomorrow morning. and as i discovered, they have opinions, they were not shy about sharing, on everything from their male counterparts to grid lock and even a female president. and we will bring you all of that tomorrow, right here on "world news." and, we have big news tonight on secretary of state hillary clinton. she has been discharged from the hospital, just this evening.

after four days under treatment for a blood clot near her brain. and abc's chief medical editor dr. richard besser tells us what we know about her condition tonight. >> reporter: just hours ago, secretary clinton was seen outside of the hospital, reportedly for testing. look again. here she is, up and walking to her car. the state department today told us she's begun quite active on the phone with calls to her staff. the 65-year-old secretarary of state is the most traveled in history. 112 countries, almost a million miles logged, more than a year of her life shuttling from nation to nation. but this clot has grounded her. the tricky treatment? anticoagulants, also called blood thinners. doctors need to monitor a delicate balance of dosage. they're trying to thin the blood around the clot to stabilize it and prevent it from getting bigger, while her body works to try to shrink it. her doctors haven't said what

caused the clot. but possible factors putting clinton at risk? dehydration from the stomach flu that she had in december. or is it somehow related to the concussion sustained at the same time? or could she have a clotting disorder, which makes her blood more susceptible to clot formation? secretary clinton had a blood clot in 1998 in her leg. we learned tonight the good news that secretary clinton has been discharged from the hospital. and according to the state department, her medical team told her she's making good progress and she should expect a full recovery. >> thank you so much, rich. great news she's heading hope. thank you. and we head overseas. a new year brings new violence to syria, still in the grip of a 22-month long civil war. today, an attack on a gas station as a syrian plane fired a missile at a station and killed at least ten people who were waiting in a line to guy

g gasoline. also tonight, a startling number from the united nations. they now estimate that 60,000 people have died since the rebellion against president assad began in 2011. and tomorrow is a new day in a new school for a group of children in newtown, connecticut. the sandy hook elementary school is in effect relocating, moving teachers, students, even desks and backpacks into new quarters. a barrowed building, seven miles away. children and teachers toured today and abc's amy robach explains. amy? >> reporter: it may take some extra time on the school bus tomorrow, but that ride may feel extra special. the streets leading to their new school lined with their school color, green, and signs of love and support. snowflakes hang throughout the newly named building, sent in from around the world with messages of hope. in a matter of weeks, the community has been hard at work retrofitting a building originally designed as a middle school to meet the needs of

younger students. bathroom sinks and toilets were lowered and the gym remodeled. and in many classes, students will return to find the desks exactly as they left them. >> a great deal of thought and effort and volunteer work to make this as seamless as possible. at one point there were 80 people in the building cleaning up the building, doing the kinds of things, painting to make it look cheerful and happy. >> reporter: there will be familiar faces, as well. not only will students be reunited with their heroic teachers, sandy hook's new principal is actually its former principal, donna page, who retired just two years ago. >> when you return to familiarity, in a situation that feels really comfortable, that will really help restore your previous beliefs. restore that world view that might have gotten shaken up by the trauma. >> reporter: and officials also know the importance of restoring a sense of security, for everyone. >> lieutenant, what makes this

the safest school in america? >> right now it has to be the safest school in america. we've actually installed numerous different security devices at this school and we are going to remain on presence until further notice. >> reporter: because everyone knows these first few days will be a balancing act between security and normalcy, parents will be allowed to come into the school and classroom with them and school officials someone else might help. the school's pet, shelley the turtle will be there welcoming students to class tomorrow. diane? >> thank you, amy. and we sure will be thinking of all of them in the morning. and still ahead on "world news," watch this. espn's anchor than no storm was burned by an outdoor grill, and tonight, we're going to show you the danger in your backyard. [ stefan ] with a cold or flu, nighttime nasal congestion

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[ baby crying ] ♪ [ male announcer ] robitussin® liquid formula soothes your throat on contact and the active ingredient relieves your cough. robitussin®. don't suffer the coughequences™. and the active ingredient relieves your cough. there's the sign to the bullpen. here he comes. you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job, the pitch! whoa! so why are you doing his? only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious like acid reflux disease. over time, stomach acid can damage the lining of your esophagus. for many, prescription nexium not only provides 24-hour heartburn relief, but can also help heal acid-related erosions in the lining of your esophagus. there is risk of bone fracture and low magnesium levels. side effects may include headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea. call your doctor right away if you have persistent diarrhea. other serious stomach conditions may exist. don't take nexium if you take clopidogrel. let your doctor do his job. and you do yours. ask if nexium is right for you. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. to take a centrum silver multivitamin every day.

i told him, sure. can't hurt, right? then i heard this news about a multivitamin study looking at long-term health benefits for men over 50. the one they used in that study... centrum silver. that's what i take. my doctor! he knows his stuff. [ male announcer ] centrum. the most recommended. most preferred. most studied. centrum, always your most complete. you may have heard about our friend and colleague, espn anchor hannah storm, cooking dinner on an ordinary grill, an ordinary night. there was a daung roungerous ex. she was burned. and because of this, we decided to test the combination of cool weather and give you a warning for every backyard. here's abc's lisa stark. >> a great beginning to what should be a spectacular parade. >> reporter: it's nearly impossible to tell that our colleague hannah storm is

recovering from serious burns. less than a month ago, her outdoor propane grill exploded. >> i remember, i yelled inside to my 15-year-old daughter who was in the kitchen, "mommy's on fire, you have to call 911." >> reporter: the flames burned her face, neck, chest and hand. hannah had lit the grill, but when she went to check on it ten minutes later, the flame had blown out. she went to light it again, not realizing that, even though the top had been open, an invisible cloud of propane had formed. >> i relit the flame and it was a wall of fire, a huge explosion. >> reporter: you can see from videos on youtube just how dangerous propane grills can be if not used carefully. something grill makers warn about. we put it to the test. watch what happens if you light the grill with the top closed. the gas builds up. and today, james novak of the st. paul, minnesota, fire department, shows us what

happens if the grill goes out. the propane keeps flowing. you go to relight the grill. watch again, as those doors blow open. here's what's happening. if the flame goes out, the gas can begin to fill up the grill, especially if the tank is enclosed. and because propane is heavier than air, it is slow to dissipate, even more so in cold weather. pooling around the tank and grill. so, when you go to relight, this could happen to you. if your grill goes out and you need to relight it, how long should you wait? >> most manufacturers instructions will say a minimum of five minutes. >> reporter: so, again, if your flame blows out, open the grill, turn off the valve, wait at least five minutes and trust your nose. oh, i do smell that. propane has an added odor to warn you, though hannah says she didn't smell anything. she's just thankful now to be on the mend. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> and we're thankful, too. and, we have a lot more news

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vacation. what they saw instead, three men rummaging around, taking their ipod, an xbox and more than $1,000 in cash. they're hoping some of the hundreds of thousands of people who have watched this video can identify the housebreakers and help them close the case. and this photo also grabbed us today. could it be real? we're told in 1954, an 8-year-old deliberately lost a bike in the woods in washington state. it was a girl's bike and he wanted a boy's. as you can see, the tree kept growing up, 60 years, around the bike. it's about five feet up in the air. something of a local tourist attraction. and there is someone we are remembering tonight. a pioneer, one of the best-selling female singers of all time, a woman who sold over 100 million records. patti page left us yesterday. ♪ how much is that doggie in the

window ♪ ♪ the one with the waggly tail >> who hasn't heard that song? she was famous, of course, for her version of "the tennessee waltz" that had everyone singing along. her first hit in 1947 and she only stopped touring and singing last year. chef was going to be inducted into the grammy hall of fame in just a few weeks. and patti page was 85. and we love knowing what you see every day that captures your attention, so, tweet me your thoughts for the "instant index" @dianesawyer. and when we come back, the number one new year's resolution, get more exercise. well, take a look at a 101-year-old woman and what she can dhi, i'm phil m . i've been fortunate to win on golf's biggest stages. but when joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis hit, even the smallest things became difficult. i finally understood what serious joint pain is like.

i talked to my rheumatologist and he prescribed enbrel. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, and stop joint damage. because enbrel, etanercept, suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. [ phil ] get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ doctor ] enbrel, the number one biolog medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still "stubbed" up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose.

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are choosing fidelity. now get 200 free trades when you open an account. [ slap! ] [ slap! slap! slap! slap! ] ow! ow! [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium-rich tums starts working so fast you'll forget you had heartburn. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums finally tonight, we researched the top five new year's resolutions and the perennial top two are getting more exercise and losing weight. but there is a study that finds that 80% of the people who join the gym in january drop out shortly after valentine's day. so, tonight, the story of one

woman more than a century old, keeping her resolution and the secrets to make sure that we do, too. here's abc's ron claiborne. >> reporter: talk about resolve. gertrude halpern has been working out most of her life. she's 101 years old. >> well, i was always on a bicycle. shopping and everything. >> reporter: she still regularly is on the exercise bike and treadmill at the gym. yet many of us have trouble staying on track on new year's resolutions for even a few weeks, much less a lifetime. do you keep your resolutions? do they succeed? >> no, not at all. maybe two days? >> reporter: so, if you've resolved to lose weight, save more money, drink less, stop smoking or whatever it is you've chosen, here's what you need to do, from the man who wrote the book on will power. first, pick one resolution. >> most resolutions fail. and one of the big reasons is, people make too many of them. >> reporter: set clear goals. >> i'm going to lose x number of pounds by x date.

then track your progress toward that goal. >> reporter: reward yourself. >> if you met your weight goal for the week, spend some money on yourself. if you quit smoking, use the money that you would have spent on cigarettes to buy yourself something. >> reporter: and outsource your will power, by telling others about your resolution. even better, tell the world on websites like google's interactive resolution map, where you can post your resolution and read others. here's one from japan. meet with parents more. and here's one more tip. think about gertrude halpern. she's still doing it at 101. so, it shouldn't be a stretch for you. ron claiborne, abc news, new york. >> go gertrude. and we thank you for watching tonight. we're always here at abcnews.com. "nightline" will be along later. and we'll see you right back here again tomorrow in this new year. good night.